The present invention relates generally to a printing machine, and more particularly, is directed to a high speed machine for simultaneously printing containers and applying labels thereto.
Printing machines which print on cylindrical or frusto-conical shaped drinking cups are well-known in the art, for example, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,184.
Basically, in machines of this type, there is a rotatable printing blanket cylinder having a plurality of rubber printing blankets mounted thereon which sequentially pass by different inking assemblies. Each inking assembly has a different color which can be applied to a printing plate associated with it and the printing plate transfers ink to each blanket. When the printing blanket has passed the last inking assembly, all of the desired colors have been placed thereon to form a composite color image.
A rotatable cylinder is also provided and has different mandrels thereon which are each supplied sequentially from a feed assembly with a cup to be printed. As the cup on each respective mandrel passes in front of the printing blanket, it is rotated so that an entire image is printed on the external surface of the cup. The cup is then removed at a subsequent take-of location.
In many instances, it is desirable to adhere a label or other item such as a game card or the like to the exterior surface of the cup as well. In the prior art, this has been performed after the cups are removed from the printing machine, that is, after the image is printed thereon. The labels are then applied on a separate machine. However, this requires an additional operation and a separate machine at a different location, thereby complicating the apparatus and making it more costly, as well as increasing the time for printing the cups and applying the labels thereto.
The reason that the labels have been applied after the printing operation is to wait until the ink has dried so that the labels could properly adhere to the cups. Prior to the present invention, it was not believed capable of simultaneously applying labels to the cups as they were being printed.